We don't accept the label "Kaffir” ... and yet the label "Black" and the label "Kaffir" were both invented in order to de-humanize us and oppress us.
1. The Label "Black"
The label “Black” was invented in the slave/plantation owning deep south of America to lump together all those with just “one drop” of African blood for the purpose of oppression even if they were as white as snow with green eyes.
Please check these links “Jim Crowe” and “one drop rule”.
The label “Black” was invented in the slave/plantation owning deep south of America to lump together all those with just “one drop” of African blood for the purpose of oppression even if they were as white as snow with green eyes.
Please check these links “Jim Crowe” and “one drop rule”.
The label was then imported into Africa for the purposes of oppression and used for that purpose, taking dominance over the label “kaffir”.
If we review the struggle we find that there was a complete absence of any reference to “Black” and instead we have this about how the African National Congress, the oldest liberation movement in Africa, was started:-
“The organisation was initially founded as the South African Native National Congress
“The organisation was initially founded as the South African Native National Congress
The primary reason why we fell in love with it is because, having been labelled “Black” we were all in the “one drop” camp and that camp united to mount a struggle against oppression led by the likes of Dr Martin Luther King in America and Nelson Mandela and others in Africa.
Certainly, it is useful to retain the label in America, because our brothers and sisters there are still suffering racial oppression. However, here in Africa, have we not overcome racial oppression?
It is like being made to wear a sack by a bully. You then rid yourself of the bully … but continue wearing the sack? It is really that simple. But we are creatures of habit and have become imprisoned by the habit. Man has done this throughout history. It is why we find it difficult to abandon culture, even if it is bad culture. However we no longer ask a medicine man dressed in skins and feathers to come and smell out who has bewitched our sick child.
Because we are a species known as homo sapiens, endowed with the power of reason we really do need to take stock, review and realize that we are still wearing the sack of oppression and dump it.
Because we are a species known as homo sapiens, endowed with the power of reason we really do need to take stock, review and realize that we are still wearing the sack of oppression and dump it.
It would be different if it was still useful, as it is in America, especially as that country now has an overtly racist President.
In reality it has no utility in Africa and actually has a number of bad outcomes.
In reality it has no utility in Africa and actually has a number of bad outcomes.
2. Exclusion.
As indigenous Africans are the majority in Africa, labeling themselves as “Black” immediately excludes everybody else that is “not black”.
As indigenous Africans are the majority in Africa, labeling themselves as “Black” immediately excludes everybody else that is “not black”.
Example: I am 50% English and 50% Ndebele.
Anthropologically, genetically, visually I simply cannot be either “black” or “white”.
You have excluded me and so many others as our nations of Africa have long since comprised so many “others”.
Exclusion is very bad because it induces social exclusion with this result:-
“exclusion from the prevailing social system and its rights and privileges, typically as a result of poverty or the fact of belonging to a minority social group”.
Africa is a very rich mixture of many races, ethnic groups and tribes. No group should be in danger of feeling excluded.
Anthropologically, genetically, visually I simply cannot be either “black” or “white”.
You have excluded me and so many others as our nations of Africa have long since comprised so many “others”.
Exclusion is very bad because it induces social exclusion with this result:-
“exclusion from the prevailing social system and its rights and privileges, typically as a result of poverty or the fact of belonging to a minority social group”.
Africa is a very rich mixture of many races, ethnic groups and tribes. No group should be in danger of feeling excluded.
3. Nation Building.
Nation building becomes an unavoidable causality. For humans to be a nation they have to first define and reference themselves as one. They have to have a shared culture. Self-definition and referencing is at the very heart of a shared culture. Persons who define themselves as French and English can never be part of one nation.
Nation building becomes an unavoidable causality. For humans to be a nation they have to first define and reference themselves as one. They have to have a shared culture. Self-definition and referencing is at the very heart of a shared culture. Persons who define themselves as French and English can never be part of one nation.
So we ensure that some/many of our people suffer from what is called “cultural exclusion”.
All human rights experts will confirm that this is a very bad thing, especially as it induces psychological alienation and this can and does precipitate problems on any number of levels.
All human rights experts will confirm that this is a very bad thing, especially as it induces psychological alienation and this can and does precipitate problems on any number of levels.
4. Hurting our children.
(Confirm this with a psychologist)
From a very early age we progressively develop a self-image.
That image is either positive or negative or problematical.
(Confirm this with a psychologist)
From a very early age we progressively develop a self-image.
That image is either positive or negative or problematical.
There is a direct relationship between that self-image and our ability to develop to our full potential.
Confusion is the enemy here … a big enemy.
Confusion about self-image is most often a precursor to becoming an underachiever, a sociopath or even a criminal.
So, when your child looks at him/herself in the mirror he/she can see exactly what colour he/she is.
When you then insist that he/she is “black”, when the child can see that this not the case, you are confusing your child on a very precious commodity, i.e. his/her self-image.
In my life I have only met about 4 people who are actually black.
You are damaging your child psychologically in a very pernicious way. You are endangering your child as you are messing with his/her self-image and endangering the child’s development.
Perhaps this is why our African governments and societies are just not succeeding.
Confusion is the enemy here … a big enemy.
Confusion about self-image is most often a precursor to becoming an underachiever, a sociopath or even a criminal.
So, when your child looks at him/herself in the mirror he/she can see exactly what colour he/she is.
When you then insist that he/she is “black”, when the child can see that this not the case, you are confusing your child on a very precious commodity, i.e. his/her self-image.
In my life I have only met about 4 people who are actually black.
You are damaging your child psychologically in a very pernicious way. You are endangering your child as you are messing with his/her self-image and endangering the child’s development.
Perhaps this is why our African governments and societies are just not succeeding.
5. Specific Proof of The Problem.
If you take Coloured folk as an example it is much easier to see the issues as set out above..Coloured folk are an admixture of many races and ethnic groups. Cape Coloureds, on their indigenous side, are mostly Khoisan. By no stretch of the imagination can it be said that the Khoisan were ever considered as part of the Nguni people, let alone “black”.
If you take Coloured folk as an example it is much easier to see the issues as set out above..Coloured folk are an admixture of many races and ethnic groups. Cape Coloureds, on their indigenous side, are mostly Khoisan. By no stretch of the imagination can it be said that the Khoisan were ever considered as part of the Nguni people, let alone “black”.
In addition Coloured folk range from “midnight black” to “snow white” in complexion.
So when you define yourself as “black” you are excluding this community. You are also really messing with the minds of their children when you enact policies and laws that say Coloureds are black. They are not. They are persons of colour.
So when you define yourself as “black” you are excluding this community. You are also really messing with the minds of their children when you enact policies and laws that say Coloureds are black. They are not. They are persons of colour.
6. Ask yourself a question.
In this region do we think, imagine or suppose that the races and different ethnic groups are united?
Do we think, imagine or suppose that all the races and ethnic groups see themselves as one nation?
You only have to listen to an interactive radio program, on virtually any issue, to realize that the region is as racially and ethnically divided as Denmark is to Malawi.
Our politicians don’t mind this because they encourage the majority to see others as a problem and reason for the disadvantages they suffer to cover up government failure, corruption and ineptitude.
Now is it wise … is it prudent … is it smart to have our people divided?
Should we not prefer to have people that see themselves as one … all pulling together in one direction?
In this region do we think, imagine or suppose that the races and different ethnic groups are united?
Do we think, imagine or suppose that all the races and ethnic groups see themselves as one nation?
You only have to listen to an interactive radio program, on virtually any issue, to realize that the region is as racially and ethnically divided as Denmark is to Malawi.
Our politicians don’t mind this because they encourage the majority to see others as a problem and reason for the disadvantages they suffer to cover up government failure, corruption and ineptitude.
Now is it wise … is it prudent … is it smart to have our people divided?
Should we not prefer to have people that see themselves as one … all pulling together in one direction?
7. Using myself as an example.
I started life in an institution for deprived children in racist Rhodesia. However I managed to make my life a success and rose to serve as a High Court Judge in two (2) different countries and an expert advisor to three (3) governments.
There is no way that I could have done this without help.
I received help from members of just about every race and ethnic group … indigenous African, Jew, Portuguese, Greek, Afrikaner and Asian in particular. I could NOT have succeeded without that help.
8. The Other
What all of the above also guarantees is the very regrettable social phenomenon of "The Other".
Please go here -- https://coginito.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-other.html?zx=98ff4fec55d145ae
I started life in an institution for deprived children in racist Rhodesia. However I managed to make my life a success and rose to serve as a High Court Judge in two (2) different countries and an expert advisor to three (3) governments.
There is no way that I could have done this without help.
I received help from members of just about every race and ethnic group … indigenous African, Jew, Portuguese, Greek, Afrikaner and Asian in particular. I could NOT have succeeded without that help.
8. The Other
What all of the above also guarantees is the very regrettable social phenomenon of "The Other".
Please go here -- https://coginito.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-other.html?zx=98ff4fec55d145ae
9. So how should we define and reference ourselves?
This is how -- in this descending order ...
a) as a human;
b) as African;
c) as South African or Zimbabwean;
d) as citizens;
e) as Shona, Kalanga, Zulu, Shangaan, Coloured, Portuguese, Hindu, Pedi, Venda, Muslim … etc.
In short we should be concerned with our race and ethnicity ONLY when this unavoidably arises and just dump this “Black” label of oppression.
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This is how -- in this descending order ...
a) as a human;
b) as African;
c) as South African or Zimbabwean;
d) as citizens;
e) as Shona, Kalanga, Zulu, Shangaan, Coloured, Portuguese, Hindu, Pedi, Venda, Muslim … etc.
In short we should be concerned with our race and ethnicity ONLY when this unavoidably arises and just dump this “Black” label of oppression.
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Note that in the United Kingdom our people are always referred to as “black”. Then Meghan Markle arrived and was set to marry into Royalty. Not one news house, print or broadcast, would refer to as “Black”, even though like me, she has African blood. Right there we see the proof that “Black’ is the stinky label of oppression. The British media know it. Why don’t we?
And note that Caucasians do not define and reference themselves as "white". They will say "I am an Englishman" ... or "I am a Russian" .... never "I am White".
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Yes, it is difficult to change that which we are accustomed to. However please understand that man would have never advanced as a species if the status quo had remained unchallenged. Change started for the advancement of man when we were still in a cave and one of us came in with burning embers from a forest fire, started by lightning, and said – “Let us cook this meat instead of eating it raw”.
At every stage we only advanced as a species when there was change.
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Extract from my book --
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Interesting also was what happened in many cases involving the issue of identity. An indigenous African witness is asked to describe who he/she says committed the particular offence in issue. The witness is pressed on the issue of identity –
Prosecutor: How can you be absolutely certain that it was the accused in the dock?
Witness: Because he is ugly
Prosecutor: What do you mean when you say that he is ugly?
Witness: Because he is black
As said, colour based prejudice is simply not the sole preserve of any particular ethnic group.
I should add that the most beautiful female I have ever seen was actually black, I mean black ... coal black.
My daughter and I met her in a lift in what was then Salisbury.
My daughter, who never wanted to be black, turned to me and gasped- "Dad, did you see that lady .. sooo beautiful.!!!"
Till today we both agree that she was the most beautiful woman we have ever seen.
She was from Ethiopia.
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And this "Black" thing leads to this ---- "Whites and Indians will be barred from new pro-Zuma political party"
... proving betond all doubt that my plea/appeal is well founded.
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And this is what we then get as at 26 July 2018 --- a diabolical different standard for us "Blacks" that equates to pernicious racist bigotry ... as supported by the African Union and SADC ....
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